Gordon’s Learning Support Department has the experience and expertise to provide for students with a wide range of barriers to learning, alongside those students for whom English is a second language.

KEY INFORMATION FOR SEND AT GORDON'S:

Please click here to view the Gordon's School SEND Information Report.
Please click here to view the Gordon's School SEND Policy.
Please click here to view the Provision Map for 2024-2025.
Please click here to view the school's Accessibility Plan.
Please click here to view the Supporting Students with Medical Conditions Policy. 
Please click here to view the Intimate Care Policy.
 Please click here to view the Staff Training to Meet the Needs of our Students.

Introduction to learning support at Gordon's school:

Gordon’s School provides outstanding, individualised learning support, ensuring every student overcomes barriers to learning and reaches their full potential. With expert staff and a nurturing environment, we empower students with SEND to thrive academically and personally. As noted in our latest Ofsted report (November 2024), ‘students with special educational needs receive a high level of individualised support’ and benefit from ‘well-trained staff who use research-based approaches to help them achieve’​

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where every student can thrive. Our Learning Support provision is designed to meet the diverse needs of students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in line with the SEND Code of Practice (2014) and the Equality Act 2010.

We are dedicated to:

• Providing tailored support that enables all students to access a broad, balanced, and enriching education.
• Identifying and addressing SEND needs at the earliest opportunity.
• Working in partnership with parents, carers, and students to ensure their voices are heard and valued in decision-making.
• Meeting our statutory duty to admit students where the school is named in an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP).
• Collaborating with the local authority to enhance the local offer for SEND provision.
• Maintaining a qualified and experienced SEND team, led by our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCo).
• Publishing a comprehensive SEND Information Report to ensure transparency and accessibility of support services.
• Focusing on individual outcomes to help students achieve their full potential, both academically and personally.

At every stage of a student’s journey, we adopt a person-centred approach, ensuring that support is tailored to their unique strengths, challenges, and aspirations. We take pride in providing a nurturing, inclusive learning environment where students with SEND can develop confidence, independence, and a love for learning.

Gordon’s School SEND Profile:

The profile of our current 2024-25 intake is as follows:

• 28 students have an Education Health Care Plan
• 96 students have been identified as requiring SEN Support.  

The range of SEND includes Cognition and Learning, Speech Language and Communication Need, Social, Emotional and Mental Health and Sensory and/or Physical.

This is made up of the following groups:

• 25% of students with SEND have needs linked to Cognition and Learning including maths, reading, writing and a range of specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia.
• 22% of students with SEND have needs linked to Communication and Interaction including speech, language and social communication and interaction disorders such as Asperger’s and Autism.
• 48% of students with SEND have needs linked to Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties
• 5% of students with SEND have needs linked to Physical and/or Sensory difficulties including disabilities affecting vision, hearing and mobility.

the Department and our provision offer:

The Learning Support Department at Gordon’s School is based in Taunton House, a centrally located and fully accessible space designed to support students effectively. The department is well-resourced, featuring four dedicated teaching areas, two of which are equipped with interactive whiteboards to enhance learning.

Gordon’s School provides a high level of ordinarily available provision, ensuring that all students, including those with Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) and higher SEND needs, are supported within mainstream classrooms. Classroom teachers, day and residential house staff, and our wider support teams work collaboratively to provide personalised, high-quality teaching and pastoral care. Our Learning Support team complements this by offering in-class support and tailored intervention programmes to further enhance student progress.

To address specific needs, we offer termly interventions for students with SEND, including:

• Mentoring and organisational support
• Literacy and numeracy support
• English as an Additional Language (EAL) support
• Speech, language, and communication needs support
• Social Thinking and emotional regulation (Zones of Regulation)
• Emotional Literacy Support (ELSA)
• Well-being and welfare support
• Study skills development and guided prep sessions

These sessions are provided on a needs basis, ensuring students receive targeted, evidence-based support to help them thrive academically and personally. All staff delivering interventions are fully trained and experienced, ensuring high-quality provision across all areas of need.

The department operates an open-door policy, welcoming students and staff to seek guidance and support at any time. We encourage parents and carers to contact the SEN Team to arrange a discussion or meeting regarding any concerns. We are committed to working in partnership with families and actively encourage communication to ensure the best outcomes for our students. Contact details for key staff members can be found below.

LEARNING SUPPORT STAFF:

HEAD OF INCLUSION/SENDCo: oversees all SEN and EHCP provision, alternative curriculum and provisions.
Miss V Phillips - vphillips@gordons.school

HEAD OF LEARNING SUPPORT: leads on all SEN and EHCP provision for Years 7 and 8. Nurture teacher for our Transition class. Line management of LSA’s.

Mrs L Mernagh - lmernagh@gordons.school

OPERATIONAL SENDCo: supports the SENDCo with SEN and EHCP provisions for years 9 -13. Specialist Teacher for Dyslexia.

Mrs C Stuart -cstuart@gordons.school

THE LEARNING SUPPORT TEAM:
Mrs K Lampard, Miss T Jones, Mrs D Belcher, Mrs M Kelly, Mrs S Burrows, Mrs E Cobbett, Mrs J Mista, Mrs S Chehab, Mrs C Tuohy-Fowler, Mrs B Wong, Miss E Godfrey, Mrs S Manning, Mrs A Patel, Mrs A Mehrotra.

ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT: 
Mrs C Mansfield